Cotton-picking machine.



G. G. PHILLIPS.

A COTTON PIGKING MACHINE.

APPLIuATgoN FILED JAN.13. 1914.

Patented June 23, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1. 7** V4 l y 7 magi;

iw wim/58853125 1 v l/vl/E/voR Geargedplw ps- G. GQPHILLPS. GoTfroN mm@ Mmmm. n A-PPLIGATION Ell-EE JAN. 13, 1914. 1,100,998, Pateniad' June 23,1914,

2 MEETS-s325122.

INVENTOH v /eofrge lio picker copending GEORGE C. PHILLIPS, 0F BOGALSA, LOUISIANA.

.COTTON-PICKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1914.

Application filed January 13, 1914. Serial N o. 811,825.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. PHiLLiPs, residing at Bc-galusa, in the parish of Washington and State of Lousiana, have invented certain 'new and use-ful Improvements in Cotton-Picking Machines',-of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to that class of cot` ton picking machines in which toothed or members are included, y suitably mounted upon wheeled frames and so arranged, in longitudinal series, whereby to adapt them forl contacting with the cotton plants as they travel downwardly and then` p-ass up through the said plants to thereby strip the lint from the bolls and `convey the separa-ted vand gathered lint into a suitable receptacle provided therefor,and mounted upon the wheeled frame.

My present invention, in its more Specic nature, has referenceyto that type of cotton picking machines clearly disclo-sed in my copending application, Serial #767,275, filed May 13, 1913, `and among other objects it has for its purpose to materially simplify the construction and the arrangement vof the parts embodied in my other machine referred to, and to render the operation of picking and gathering the cotton the vmore uniform and' positive.

Another and important feature of my present invention lies in the improved manner in which the endless picker carrier isl constructed and arranged in connectionY with the picker cleaning brushes, whereby the short horizontal travel of the pickers and their lateral engagement with the brushes is avoided and the said pickers caused to engage with the brushing or cleaning elements under a combined lateral and longitudinal wiping action, .to thereby subject the said pickers to a more positive cleaning action than can be possibly accomplished with the cleaning means shown and .described in my application referred to.- 1

Again, my present invention comprehends certain improved features of construction, particularly lin the mounting ofthe framing th'at sustains the endl ixedly holding the pickers .to the desired position during` their vertical descent into and as they pass through the cotton and eiect their picking operation on Ythe cotton bolls, and also for-adjusting the said frame' that the relative spaces betweenthe pickers ess picker carrier, forl 11-11-designate doors that on lthe down-goinp side, as they enter or engage with the cotton plants, may be readily regulated to suit or grade of cotton to be picked.

With other'objects in view, all of which will be hereinafter referred to, my present invention Aembodies the peculiar construction and novel arrangement of parts hereinafter fully explained, specifically pointed out Iin the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of my improved cotton .picking machine. Fig, .2 is a cross section thereof taken on the line 2-2 on Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal .section thereof on A Fig. 1. 4 is an enlarged detail perspective of the corner guide sheave on the the particular character descending side, illustrating the auxiliary guide chain and its lugs which coperate with the ide wings on the ends of the picker sha s. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view showing the wig on one end of the picker shaft. Fig. 6 is a similar view show.- ing one of the guide lugs. Fig. is a detail section of one of the chain links which support one end of a, picker shaft illustrating how a slight axial movement is obtained.

In the practical arrangement of the parts that constitute my present improved cotton picking` machine, the main aming is supported onthe carrier or driving wheels in substantially the same manner as the same appears in my other application before referred to, and the wheeled frame includes a single axle 2 upon which. lthe driving or supporting wheels 1*1 are mounted, and upon which the picker frame, presently fully explained, is rockably mounted.

3 designates a casing that houses the fen-v tire picker mechanism, and in my present form of picking mechanism the said casing includes the side walls 4, a top memberv 5, andfront and rear hinged top sections' and' 7 'a pendent and inwardly inclined front wall 8 and a pendent rear wall 9, provided with two openings 90, one at each side of .the machine, and through which the gath-l ered lint is withdrawn from the gathering trough yor .boxes 10-10 presently again referred to.

normally close .the openings 90 and form, when closed, a. lpart of the back walls of the boxes 10. The `casingB isf-also loosely mounted on the ale 2 and it is fixedly connected to a pair of oppositely disposed side bracing frames formed of channel beams, and as shown they include the upper horizontally disposed sec` tions 12, the front vertically pendent por` tions 13, the front downwardly and rearwardly extended members 14, and the upwardly and rearwardly inclined rear sec'- tions 15.

At the meeting ends of the parts 14-15,

ave bearing sleeves 16 that loosely ride l he apex end of the frames, the said frames walls are divergingly spread to form 'the side wings 19 that guide the plants into the' passageway.

. 20-20 designate oppositely disposed side braces secured to the front end of the cas-` in and with which connects a tongue 21, it

being understood that when the team isv hitched to the said tongue the casing will be relatively ixedly held on the axle 2.

The cotton picking mechanism proper, the .peculiar construction of which forms the essential feature of my present invention, comprises a pair of oppositely disposed side frames 22 each of whlch has the shape of the opposite side frames that are secured to the casing 3, as hereinbefore explained, and each includes the front vertically pendent members 23, the top horizontal sections 24, the downwardly and ,rearwardly inclined sections 25, and the upwardly and rearwardly inclined members 26, the latter and the sections 25 merging with the hub or sleeves 27 that loosely ride on the cross axle 2, as is best shown in Fig. 2, by reference to which and to Fig. 1, it will be also noticed `a pendent or hanger member 27a extends from each hub 27 and on the lower ends of which are secured short stub shafts 28 that project inwardly toward each other and on each of which is loosely mounted a chain wheel 29, as shown.

A cross shaft 30 is journaled in the front end of thel upper horizontal sections of the frames 22 and upon the said shaft is fixedly mounted a pair of chain wheels 31--31 and these are geared -through a chain 3()a with the chain wheel 31a {ixedly mounted on the driver or cross axle 2, as shown in Fig. 2.

Idler chain wheels 82 are mounted on'a 65 cross shaft 33 journaled in the lowermost upon the cross axle 2, as is best shown in4 The lower ends of opposite side walls 4 arcanos end of the vertically pendent members of the frames 22 and 34 are like wheels loosely mounted on a cross shaft journaled in the rear ends of the upper members of the frames 22.

A pair of endless sprocket chains pass over the several sets of chain wheels adjacent each side of the frames 22-22 and to which motion is imparted by the chain wheels 31a on thevcross axle 2.

The picker members proper 39, in my construction of machine, are arranged 1n.

pairs, and each pair of said members is fixedly connected, by means of a sleeve 40, with the squared portion 41,` of a cross bar 42, the opposite ends of which are reduced to form journals 43, that are rockably mounted in the solid linkVJ members 44 of their respective chains (see Fig-5 of the. drawings) which also shows the outer ends of each cross bar provided with a guide member 45 for engaging with the guide devices presently explained.

Each picker member, as in my other machine referred to, consists of a flat board 47 with a card cloth on the opposite faces thereof, the teeth of which project upwardl at an acute angle to the face of the boar the said cloth face, in practice, is ofsuch character that it will act, as desired, only on cotton lint and dry leaves. v

The picker edges of each pair of pickers, are held in transverse alinement, and in practice,.are of such width and relatively so spaced that in traveling through the passageway 18, (which is usually about six and one-half inches wide) the said picker edges are about vone-half of an inch apart, and spaced a -like distance from the side walls of the passageway.

As in my other machine referred to, the picker members in my present machine are so hung from the end less carrier chains, that their faces engage the plahts flatwise, that is with their wide or carded faces, and it should be here stated, the said pickers, no matter at what position they may be set, relatively to the chains, arerigidly guided in such position as they pass down into the plants'and to the pdint'where they begin to ull up out of the plants; such arrangement iiieing provided to prevent the pickers during the time they are caused to dragstraight through and against the Aplants vertically from being clogged or interfering with each other.

1n my present case, I have shown means hereinafter described, for rigidly holding the pickers as they pass down into and back relatively to the machine through the cotton plants to the point of ascension only, the said pickers being allowed to loosely han g in a vertically pendent posit-ion from their chains as, they rise up from the cotton plants, since the resistance to the pickers and danger of'their clogging each other is materially reduced as the pickers rise up from the plants. I desire it understood, however, that where conditions of the crop make it desirable to hold the pickers rigidly to the set positions as they rise out of the plants, means may also be readily applied to that side of the machine for holding the pickers rigid.

Themeans for holding the pickers rigidly as they pass down into and through the plants in my present showing consists of a pair of auxiliary endless chains 50 that pass over the chain wheels 29 and like chain wheels 5l, one of which is mounted on a f short stub shaft 52 on a bracket 53 that pro- V soA jects inwardly from the adjacent frame22, the other wheel being likewise mounted on a shaft 52 journaled in bracket 53 on the opposite frame 22.

Shaft 52 passes through an elongated slot 55 in the adjacent wall of the 'casing 3 and upon the said shaft is mounted a driven chain vwheel 56, around which takes the endless drive chain 57 driven Jfrom a chain 'wheel 58 on the outer or projected end of the cross shaft 33.4

The auxiliary chains 50 each, at suitable intervals, have laterally projected guide tingers 59 of the clothes-pin shape and they are so positioned on the chains 50, relatively to the movement of the endless picker carrying chains that as the said pickers start on their rearwardly descending movement, (notice Fig. 1,) they pass into position at predetermnicd times, so that their extensions or wings 45 move into engagement with the slotted pins. 'Io cause the wings 45 and the slotted pins to retain their interlocked position as the pickers travel down into the plants, the auxiliary and the picker chains travel in a substantially parallel-plane.

By reason of arranging the auxiliary and the picker chains in the manner shown andv described, and by projecting the picker wings 45at an upwardly and outwardly inclined angle with respect to the picker chain (see Fig. 2) lso soon as the pickers approach their lowermost point ot' travel, by reason of the slotted pins now beginning to travel downwardly'and away from the pickers, the said pickers will become disengaged, since their wings 45 pull out of the pins. To pre'- ventbinding they pins have a limited rocking motion in their chainlinks from which they project.

By reason ot' providing a icker guiding means of the characterstate the construction of my entire-machine is simple, and such that it can-be economically built.

In my present-construction of cotton picking machine, a pair .of opposing guide members are provided andthey include top portions 60 that arelocated over the top of the picker devices,'-as is clearly shown in Figs.-

1 and 2, by reference to which, it will be.

noticed the members 60 are attached to brackets 6l suitably attached to their respective frame sections 22, and they are so extended that the members 60 are projected just over the horizontal portion of the endless picker carrier and to be engaged by friction rollers 62 that project laterally "At the point where they pass over the -upper front guide wheels the members 60 are curved outwardly and away from the said front guide wheels, as at 63, and then curved inwardly as at 64 to lie closely over thefront face of the lower chain guide wheels, from which point they again curve under'thef'said lower wheels, as at 65,'with the said curved portion 65 terminating just in advance of the vertical axis of the said wheels, as shown.

By reason of arranging guides 60 and shapingthem as shown, the said guides 60 and the pickers are relatively so disposed that the .roller bearings on the adjacent lower edges of each pair of pickers engage the opposing members 60 when the said pickers tend to drop toward the horizontal position, while passing forwardly from the back to the front end of their horizontal travel (see Fig. 1), such coengaging of the pickers and the guides 60 serving to sustain the pickers at their dropped-back position, as they pass along their upper or horizontal path of movement.

In passing over the upper chain drive wheels at the front end, the picker members as they swing over and engage the outwardly curved portion of the guides, and as they travel down their vertical path of movement they gradually close toward each other as they reach the final curved ends of the guides 60 whose discharge end is so disposed with relation to the spaced slotted I fingers on the auxiliary endless chain, that the wings 45 of the pickers drop into the said yfingers as the pickers assume the vertically pendent position (see Fig. 1).

In my other machine, disclosed in my copending application, the pickers on the upgoing side are deflected .to travel, for a short distance in the horizontal plane as they completetheir backward travel, and duringsuch movement-they pass between and engage a pair of opposing wipers or brushes.

In my present case, I arrange the brushing or cleaning devices so that `there is little or no retarding action of the endless carrier, while the pickers are subjected to a thorough wiping action as they pass through the cleaning brushes. To such end, l place the cleaning brushes on the 11p-going picker mechanism, and arrange them horizontally across the pat-h of the 11p-going movement of the pickers.

By arranging the cleaning brushes, it is not necessary to deflect the upward movement of the pickers and further a more thorough engagement of the brushes and the pickers is provided for, since the pickers enter between the wiping faces of the brushes with their inner or butt ends first and in passing up the brushes are pulled diagonally upward therethrough, thus getting the benefit of a combined lateral and longitudinal drag of the pickers as they are pulled upwardly through the brushes.

The brushes are driven from the pulley G6 on the axle 2, which through the crossed belt 67 drives one shaft' 68 of the cleaning brushes, the other shaft of which is driven by a crossed belt, as shown in Fig. 2.

To obtain the best results when mechanically picking cotton, itis necessary that the wiping or picking action on the plant be practically continuous, and that the action of passing the picker members backward be, at least, as fast as the travel of the machine forward over the plant rows, and for such Apurpose I have arranged the pickers to travel on the different inclines, as shown, as they pass down into' the plants, rise up with the cotton picked from the plants.

By positioning the pickers in the manner stated, the proper spaces between the pickers -is maintained as they travel in the upper horizontal plane, and the distance spaces between the pickers is materially decreased as they are lowered to the plants on the incline shown, and such distance spaces still further decreased by having the pickers travel upwardly to the horizontal position on a greater incline as they pass up to the horizontal line of travel. To n Ve this clear, assuming the maximum or normal distance space between the pickers is present when' on their horizontal travel, they are two inches apart when on their lesser or front incline, and one and one-half inches apart when traveling up their greatest incline; thereby providing, as it`were, an almost constant contact of some of the pickers with the cotton bells.

ln my present invention, l have provided a simple and readily adjustable means for setting the tiltable framing that carries the picker mechanism proper so as to widen or narrow the spaces between the pickers on the descending sides of the carrier as the condition of the crop may make desirable. dlor such purpose, a bracket arm 70 is se- 'vehicle, a trame rockably suppor cured to one of the side iframesy 22 that is extended horizontally forwardly and inwardly, its outer end terminating in a bracket havino' smooth sockets 71 disposed over the drat tongue for receiving the threaded end of a shank 7 2, the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the tongue.

73 is a screw or hand wheel mounted on the threaded shank that works between the bracketed ends of the member 70, the several parts being so arranged that by turning the hand or screw wheel 73 the tiltable frame with the picker devices can be raised or lowered, it being understood that when lowered from the position shown in Fig. l, the distance spaces between the pickers on the down-going side are increased and the spaces on the 11p-going side relatively decreased, and by raising the said frame the distance spaces on the down-going side are lessened while the spaces on the 11p-going side are corresponc'lingly increased.

From the foregoing taken in connect-ion with the drawings, the complete construction, the manner of operation and the advantages of my present invention are thought to be suiiiciently clear to be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which my said invention relates.

While the details-otn construction disclose a preferred arrangement', of parts, I desire it understood that thesaid parts and the various details may be modiiied without departingfrom my invention, comes within the scope of the appended claims.

lllhat l claim is:

l. In a cotton picking machine, a wheeled ted upon the axle of the vehicle to swu in a direction at right angles to the said lrie, endless chains mounted upon horizontal axes on the frame and including front and rear inclined portions, picker members pendcntly supported upon the said chains, a power transmission that couples the chains Alw'ith the vehicle, means for rigidly holding the chain carrying 'trame at its rocked adjustments to thereby increase or diminish the relative distance between the picker members on the front or rear inclined portions of the` carrying chains.

ln va cotton picking machine, a wheeled vehicle, a iframe rockably supported on the axle of the said vehicle to swing7 in a direction at right angles to the axle, an lendless chain conveyor mounted on the frame and including gears arranged to divide the said conveyor 'whereby to produce a front vertical section and a rearwardly and downwardly extended section, a rearwardly and upwardly extended section and an upper horizontal section, one of the gears being mounted upon and rotatable with the ve hicle axle, picker members pendently supported from the chain conveyer, and means for tilting the rockably mounted frame whereby to change the relative angles of the rearwardly and downwardly and rearwardly and upwardly inclined sections of the endless chain conveyer to thereb' vary the distance spaces between the picker members pendent from the said vertical inclined sections of the conveyer.

3. In a cotton picking machine, a carriage adapted to be drawn over the ground, a :frame pivotally mounted on the said carriage to swing in a plane at right angles to the axle of the carriage, guides of the said frame, an endless chain conveyer that passes around the Said guides, the said endless chain conveyer including a downwardly and rearwardly inclined section and a rearwardly and upwardly inclined section,

picker members carried by the said chain conveyer, and means for tilting the rockable frame in diierent positions of adjustment relatively to the axle upon which it is mounted, whereby to increase or diminish the space between the successive picker members on the downwardly inclined section of the chain conveyer, and accordingly decrease or increase the distance space between the successive picker members on the upwardly inclined section of the chain conveyer. j

4. In a cotton icking machine, acarriage adapted to be rawn over the ground, a frame pivotally mounted upon the axle of the said carriage, the said frame being of a substantially triangular shape, guides at the corners of the said frame, an endless chain conveyer that passes around the said guides, picker members' carried by the said chain conveyer, means for holding the said frame in different positions of adjustment relatively to the axle upon which it is mounted whereby to increase or diminish the space between the successive icker members on one section of the chain conveyerl and accordingly decrease or increase the space between the successive sets of picker members on another section of a chain conveyeracording to the position of the said frame, and means for holding the picker members to their spaced positions as they travel through the plants.

5. In a cotton picking machine, a carriage adapted to be drawn over the ground, an

angular shaped frame pivotally mounted upon the carriage axle to rock in a plane at right angles to the said axle, chain guides at the corners of the said frame, endless chains .passing around the said guides, said chains ,inoluding a. downwardly inclined and upwaidly lnclined portion, pickerlxmembers' carried; by the said chains, means or holding the frame upon which 2the chains are mountedgii diil'erent positions of adjustment whereby: to change the pitch of the downwardand upward positions of the chain relatively to the axle and increase or the space between the successive 6. In a cotton picking machine, a wheeled frame having a rest1icted passage for receiving the plant stalks, a frame rockably mounted u on the wheels frame axle to swing in tlie longitudinal direction of the machine, guides at the corners of the said rockable frame, at least one of the said guides being a driver, an endless chain passing over the guides and which includes a downwardly inclined and an upwardly in# clined portion, picker members pendently hung on the chain, means for holding the picker members rigidly sepa-rated as they pass into the cotton, said means including an endless carrier that travels in parallelism with the downgoing portion of the endless chain, a guide on eac picker member that engages and is held interlocked with` the members on the carrier, while the picker '4 members travel downwardly into the cotton. 7. In a cotton picker, a wheeled vehicle, a-

vertically extended frame rockably mounted upon the axle of the wheeled vehicle, an endless chain conveyer mounted on the frame to travel in a direction at right angles to the vehicle axle, power transmission from the said axle geared with the said endless chain conveyer, said conveyer including a "lowngoing portion that travels toward and into the plants and an upgoing portion that( travels out of the plants, means for tilting the frame forwardly or upwardly relatively to the axle to thereby change the pitch or angle of the said downgoing and upgoing portion of the endless conveyer, and picker members pendently supported from the chain conveyer, and means that hold the picker members rigid to their set position as they travel into and out of the cotton plants.

8. In a cotton pickin machine, a wheeled` vehicle, a frame rocka ly mounted on the wheeled vehicle to swin in the longitudinal direction of the machine, a guide at each corner of the frame, one of the guides being a driver, an endless chain conveyer'that takes over the said guides, picker members hung on the conveyer. and adapted for assiuning a pendent position as they pass through the pla-nt, means for holding them to their adjusted positions, and cleaner devices for the fingers, the said devices com'- prising a j cated in t going picker pair of opposing'wiping rolls-lof"` epath oi?A movement oftheupj-i and adapted; ferire:v F

ceiving. the said fingers between them, the

said wiping rolls being ixedly held relaf allelism with the picker .conveyer where it 'passes down into the plants, slotted pins projected from the carrier, said pins having a limited rotary movement relatively to the carrier, said carrier and the picker conveyer being cooperatively arranged whereby the wings on the pickers and the slotted pins automatically interlock as they approach the coiton engaging faces and are held interlocked as the pickers are carried down into the cotton.

10. In a cotton picker, a wheeled vehicle 'movableover the ground, a frame tiltably Amounted upon the said vehicle, an endless chainfconveyer mounted on the frame, said conve-yer includlng a downwardly and an upwardly inclined portion, picker lingers carried by the chain conveyer, means operativewith the chain conveyer for holding the fingers as they enter the plants relatively l widely spaced apart and the lingers that pass out of and away from the plants relatively Vspaced closely together, means for adjusting the frame tha1 carries the chain conveyer whereby to c ange t-he relative space between the pickers on the down-going side and the pickers on the up-go-ing side of the `chain conveyer, other means for holding the pickers on the other portions of the nico-,ooe

lchain conveyer positively separated, and

further means for adjusting the tiltable frame, said means including an arm projected from the said frame having bracket like members provided with smooth apen tures, a threaded rod movable through the said apertures and Xedly connected with the vehicle frame, and a screw wheel on the said rodthat cc-acts with the bracket of the projecting arm from the frame.

11. In a cotton picker, a wheeledvehicle "mounted over the ground, an endless conveyer, picker fingers carried by the con veyer, means tor supporting the conveyer fa-t diii'erent inclines throughout its length, and means operative with the conveyer for giving the down-going picker members travel at a speed at least as fast as the travel of the machine over the plant rows.

12. In a cotton picker, a wheeled vehicle, a frame rockably mounted upon the axle of the vehicle to swing in the direction of the machine, an endless chain conveyer mounted upon the frame, chain guides on the traine, one of the chain guides being mounted on the axle of the vehicle for imparting motion to the conveyer, said guides being arranged whereby to form the said endless chain con4 veyer with a downwardly inclined portion for penetrating the plants and an upwardly inclined port-ion that moves out of the plants, means for tilting the frame and holding it to its tilted po-sition whereby to change upgoing portions of the endless conveyer, and picker members pendently supported .the relative angles of the downgoing and from the convcyer chains, and means that eoperate with the picker members as they pass down into and out of the plants for holding them rigid at their spaced positions.

. GEORGE (l. PHILLIPS. Witnesses:

C. L. JOHNSON, BQM. MCCARTY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, -Washingtom D. C. 

